Drier



E. MILKEY.

DRIER. 3 APPLICATION F ILED AUG.6. 192k) INVENTOR E/V/Lnr/ J WITNESSESCtr-r ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

PATENT OFFICE,

LESTER ERNEST MILKEY, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

DRIER.

Application filed August 6, 1920. Serial No. 401,724.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lusrnn E. Minnnv, a citizen o fthe United States,and a resident of Sandusky, in the countyof Erie and Stateof Ohio, haveinvented a new and Improved Drier, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description. I

This invention relates to improvements in driers, and more particularlyto an improved paper or fabric drier employing a drying vacuum system inwhich the sheet or fabric is maintained out of contact with "any hotmetal surface.

A further object is to provide a drier in Y which heated air is suckedthrough the sheet during its movement on the periphery of a suction drumand while it is confined 111 a casing so that a relatively long lengthof the sheet is subjected to the vacuum process and the moisturetherefrom is removed without scorching or in any way injuring the fibresof the sheet.

A further object is to provide a drier.

which performs its function uniformly throughout the sheet and whichoccupies but a relatively small space in use. f 7

With these and other objects inview the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, and combinations andlrg ar rangements ofparts as will be more fully.

hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal sectionI illustrating my improved drier.

Figure 2 is a view in transverse sect on on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective of a valve ring.

embodied in the invention.

1 represents a casinghaving a steam col 2 in its lower portion to heatthe air 1n the interior of the casing to the desired tem-" perature. 3represents my improved drier or drum which isfixed to a shaft 4 extend,ing through the drum and is provided on its periphery with transversewebs 5 and peripheral flanges 6 forming a circular series of airchambers ,7 around the periphery of the drum. Each of theseair chambersis connected by a radial pipe 8 with a hub member or ring 9 on the shaft4, sald ring having ports 10 therein adapted to communicate with a valvering 11 loose on the shaft 4 and held in tight engagement with the hubmember or ring 9 by means of' a coil spring 12-.

portion of the valve ring 11 has a closed seat or face 14'which cuts offthe ports 10 111 the upper portion of the drum so that while suction ishad through most of the chambers 7, those chambers 7 at the extremeupper portion of the drum are cut oil.

15 represents a sheet of paper or other material to be dried, whichenters the casing 1 through an inlet 16, thence passes around a roller17 at the upper portion of the casing, thence around the periphery ofthe drum 3, thence arounda roller 18 at the upper portion. of the casing1 adjacent roller 17 and esciilpes through an outlet 19 in the casing waTo present a cylindrical or smooth surface to the paper as it contactswith the drum 3, I provide a perforated cover 20 which extends entirelyaround the drum and forms a perforated outer wall for each and every oneof the chambers 7 so that the air which is sucked from the chamber 7 isdrawn through the perforated cover 20 and 'thevsheet of paper 15 aroundthe same.

It is, of course, obvious that this circular series of suction chambersaround the periphery of the drum might be otherwise formed and thesuction may be controlled in various ways, but in any event it is mypurpose to provide a drum which has -rotary mounting in a chambercontaining some 'air heating means or into which hot air is supplied sothat, this hot air is sucked through the annular series of chambers inthe periphery of the druni to dry the sheet and hence, the moisture isremoved from the sheet without bringing the same into contact with anyhot metal surfaces.

- Furthermore, it will be noted that the greater portion of theperiphery of the drum is utilized at all times so that an extendedlength of sheet is subjected to the vacuum orsuction operation and anygiven point on the sheet has a relatively long travel under suctionbefore it passes'off of the drum.

It is, of course, obvious that only porous papers, such as filter mass,blotting paper, roofing paper and saturating papers and other similarporous materials, textiles. etc., can be dried using my improvedapparatus because it is necessary that the air be drawn through thesheet.

I believe that with my improved apparatus there is an economy of fuel, arapidity of action, and a perfection of result which is vastly superiorover devices for similar purpose in general use, and while I refer tothe use of hot air, it is obvious that dry air or any other gaseousagent which can be brought to the desired dryness and temperature couldbe used as a medium for the suction through the paper or fabric fordrying the same and I do not wish to be limited to the particulardetails of construction set forth, but consider myself at liberty tomake such changes and alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

1 claim:

l. A. drier comprising a'drum having perforated chambers, pipescommunicating: with said chambers, a hub member connccted to said pipes,a shaft rotatably supporting said hub member. and a ring valve mountedon said shaft and having a port communicating with said hub member.

2. A drier comprising a drum having a plurality of chambers and aperforated rim forming the outer walls of said chambers, radiallyarranged pipes in communication with said chambers, a valve arranged atthe central portion of said drum and having conmmnication with saidpipes, an air current conveying pipe connected to Said valve, and aheater arranged ad acent sald drum.

drum having a.

A drier comprising a plurality of chambers and a perforated rim formingthe outer walls of said chambers, radially arranged pipes incommunication with said chambers, a valve arranged at the centralportion of said drum and having communication with said pipes, an aircur rent conveying pipe connected to said valve, a heater arrangedadjacent said drum, and a casing enclosing said heater and said drum.

4. A drier of the character described, comprising a casing, a heater inthe lower portion of the casing, a drum having rotary mounting in theupper portion of the easing, said drum having a circular series ofperipheral suction chambers, a perforated cover for said chambers, meansfor supporting a sheet against the cover, a series of radial pipescommunicating with the respective suction chambers, a suction pipe, and

means connecting the suction pipe with certain of said radial pipeswhereby suction is had in the chambers only which are covered bv thesheet to be dried.

5. A drier comprising a drum having perforated chambers, pipescommunicating with said chambers, a hub member connected to said pipes,a shaft rotatably supporting said hub member.v a ring valve mounted onsaid shaft and having a port communicating with said hub member, and aspring urging said valve into contact with said hub member whereby toform an airtight connection'between the ring valve and the hub member.

LESTER ERNEST MILKEY.

